Jason Sudeikis explains the story behind his viral jumper supporting Rashford, Saka and Sancho

Actor expressed support for England trio Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho after they were subjected to racist abuse

Jason Sudeikis has explained the story behind the jumper he wore supporting England football players Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jordan Sancho after it went viral on social media.

The actor was photographed wearing a jumper emblazoned with the slogan “Jadon & Marcus and Bukayo” during the premiere of the second season of his Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso.

At the time, the players were the subject of racist abuse after they missed their penalties in the final against Italy at the Euro 2020 championship.

Talking to British Vogue, Sudeikis has now explained his decision to wear the jumper.

“The idea struck me the day before our show’s premiere,” he said. “I just felt it was necessary to use the platform of our big, fancy ‘worldwide premiere’ to try and personify our show’s support of those three young men”.

In Ted Lasso, Sudeikis plays an enthusiastic American football coach who is unexpectedly brought in to oversee a Premier League team despite having no knowledge of association football before being hired.

The actor went on to praise the way he and the crew have been treated in England: “The country has welcomed us and our production with open arms, hearts and minds. As well as bestowing us with so many of the kind, talented, and hard-working people that work on the show”.

Sudeikis also talked about the jumper during an interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, saying: “They’re the last three fellas, young fellas that took the penalty kicks.

“They didn’t turn out the way that certainly England would have hoped, certainly a lot of us here in the States would have, too, and people worldwide, and they caught a lot of guff online. The three young Black men”.

He concluded: “Our show is rooted in both despising things like bullying and racism and whatnot.”